Heat transfer fin



June 22, 1965 R. STORFER HEAT TRANSFER FIN Filed May 22, 1962 FIG.4

FIG.3

mmvrox.

Roberl Sforfer AT TORNEY United States Patent 3,190,353 HEAT TRANSFER FIN Robert Storfer, Berkley Lane, Syosset, N.Y. Filed May 22, 1962, Ser. No. 196,824 5 Claims. (Cl. 165182) The present invention relates to a heat transfer fin and more particularly to a heat transfer fin which is adapted for application to existing piping.

Fins are often attached to heating pipes to increase the distribution of the heat by radiation over the larger surface area they provide. The fins are usually applied to pipes before they are permanently installed. However, since the use of fins is a relatively recent practice, there are great numbers of pipes which are already installed and in use. It is to accommodate existing piping, with no disruption of service, that the present invention is primarily directed.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to meet the foregoing requirement.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a heat transfer fin which may be individually applied for selective placement.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a heat transfer fin which is inexpensive to produce and is flat for economical shipping.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a heat transfer fin which can accommodate some variation of pipe diameter.

Additional features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a half-section of the heat transfer fin of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view, partially broken away, of two half-sections joined together and applied to a pipe;

FIG. 3 is a side view, partially in cross-section taken generally along the line 33 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a series of heat transfer fins applied to a pipe.

Referring now to the drawing, it may be seen that the heat transfer fin is made up of two substantially identical half-sections 10. Each half-section is cut with a suitable die from a sheet of a bendable heat-conducting material, such as metal. The half-sections it are adapted to be paired along their respective joining edges 12 so that a substantially fiat, complete fin results. In the embodiment illustrated, the half-section has a generally semicircular body portion 13 so that the whole fin has a circular shape. It is understood, of course, that other shapes may be successfully used. To impart rigidity to the fin, the outer rim 14 may be beaded.

The heat transfer fin is attached to a pipe 15 by placing a pair of half-sections 10 so that the pipe is seated within a pipe-fitting portion 16 at approximately the center of their joining edges 12. The pipe-fitting portion 16 has a small semi-circular edge 17 with a plurality of radial slits 18 extending from it to a larger semi-circular score line 20. The radial slits 18 define a series of substantially triangular portions 22 which are bent to grip the pipe 15. With this construction, the heat transfer fin may be applied to pipes of different diameter by adjusting the angle of the portions 22.

A pair of tabs 24 and 26 extend out from the body portion 13 on each side of the pipe-fitting portion 16. The tabs 24 and 26 are adapted to be bent perpendicular to the plane of the half-section 10 and be mated with the corresponding tabs of another half-section 10. One of the tabs 24 has a projection 28 extending from the inner edge of its outer side and the other tab 26 has a notch 30 3,190,353 Patented June 22, 1965 in the corresponding location. The pair of half-sections 10 are secured together by bending the projection 28 of one half-section around the mated perpendicular tabs and within the notch 30 of the second half-section. A second connection is made by bending the projection 28 of the second half-section around the other set of mated perpendicular tabs within the notch 30 of the first halfsection.

At each end of the joining edge 12 there is an extension 32 which is arranged to overlap the extensions 32 of the other half-section. The overlapping adds strength to the joining of the half-sections 10.

The mated tabs 24 and 26 lie on opposite sides of the pipe 15 and along its length. Occupying this position, they may be used as convenient spacers between adjacent fins. It has been found that is an efficient spacing between fins so the tabs 24 and 26 may be made long for a convenient guide.

If desired, a feature may be added to either one or both half-sections of a pair, which will brace and still further increase the strength of the fin. An interlocking prong 34 is cut from the approximate center of the body portion 13 about midway between the tabs 24 and 26 making right angles thereto. The prong 34 remains attached to the body portion at one end. At its free end, the prong flares out and has a notch 36 on each side of the flared portion to form a shoulder 38. The prong 34 is bent perpendicular to the plane of the half-section to leave a prong-aperture 40. The shoulder 38 of the prong 34 of a half-section is inserted in the prong-aperture 40 of the adjacent half-section. The width of the prong at the notches 36 is equal to the Width of the prong-aperture 40 so as to lock in place. The length of the interlocking prong 34 from its attached end to its notches 36 may correspond to the length of the perpendicular tabs 24 and 26 in order to provide a plurality of contact points between adjacent fins to keep them erect and properly spaced.

It has thus been shown that the present invention discloses a particularly effective heat transfer fin for attaching to existing piping. The fin is complete in itself so it needs no accessories for installation. Furthermore, it can be produced by a simple cutting operation with almost no waste of material. The fin half-sections are virtually flat so they may be stacked for economical ship ping and storage.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. A heat transfer fin adapted to be placed about a cylindrical pipe or the like comprising a pair of separable half-sections, each half-section comprising a flat planar sheet of bendable heat-conducting material having a central pipe receiving portion, a tab integral with each half-section disposed at one side of said pipe receiving portion and extending at right angles to the plane of said half-section, the tabs on each half-section being in side-by-side relation, a projection integral with one of said tabs, said projection being bent about the other of said tabs to interconnect said half-sections, said tabs also serving as spacer means for positioning of additional heat transfer fins on the pipe.

2. A heat transfer fin as defined in claim 1 wherein each half-section has a planar extension overlapping the extension of the other half-section.

3. A heat transfer fin as defined in claim 1 and further including a second tab integral with each half-section located on the other side of said pipe receiving portion and extending at right angles to the plane of said half-section,

4. A heat transfer fin as defined in claim 3 and further including an interlocking prong cut from and attached at one end to the approximate center of one of said halfsections about midway between the said tabs at a generally right angleqto said half-section leaving a prong aperture in said half-section so that adjacent fins may be braced by inserting the interlocking prong thereof into the prong aperture of the adjacent fin.

5. A heat transfer fin as defined in claim 4, wherein the free end of said interlocking prong has a flared portion with a notch, on each side thereof thereby to form insertion of the said prong shoulder in the adjacent prong aperture will lock the prong in place.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 821,698 5/ 06 Briscoe 165181 1,841,380 1/32 Phelps et a1; 165-183 X 1,920,357 8/ 33 Clark 165182 2,089,340 8/37 Cobb 165-l82 2,402,262 6/46 Sewell -2- 165l82 2,434,676 1/48 Spender 165-182 2,574,142 ell/51 Buongirno 165181 X 2,726,850 12/55v Buongirno 16754-181 X a shoulder, the width of the prong at the said notches 15 CHARLES SUKALO Primary Examiner being equal to the width of the prong aperture whereby 

1. A HEAT TRANSFER FIN ADAPTTED TO BE PLACED ABOUT A CYLINDRICAL PIPE OR THE LIKE COMPRISING A PAIR OF SEPARABLE HALF-SECTIONS, EACH HALF-SECTION COMPRISING A FLAT PLANAR SHEET OF BENDABLE HEAT-CONDUCTING MATERIAL HAVING A CENTRAL PIPE RECEIVING PORTION, A TAB INTEGRAL WITH EACH HALF-SECTION DISPOSED AT ONE SIDE OF SAID PIPE RECEIVING PORTION AND EXTENDING AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE PLANE OF SAID HALF-SECTION, THE TABS ON EACH HALF-SECTION BEING IN SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATION, A PROJECTION INTEGRAL WITH ONE OF SAID TABS, SAID PROJECTION BEING BENT ABOUT THE OTHER OF SAID TABS TO INTERCONNECT SAID HALF-SECTIONS, SAID TABS ALSO SERVING AS SPACING MEANS FOR POSTIONING OF ADDITIONAL HEAT TRANSFER FINS ON THE PIPE. 